Worn Down
by Professor Owlfeather
Summary: In every study of Brainwashing- any effects of brainwashing, even in the greatest conditions, wears off. Spoilers for Case 9!


I got this idea from dryicecubes on tumblr!

THE IDEA IS KINDA SAD OK

* * *

They were gonna do it. They were going to invite Lucy for dinner. They had argued about it senseless for weeks. What would they serve? Would they actually do it? Who would make the move?

They decided that a home movie, and, after realizing that neither of them could cook anything agreeably acceptable, pizza.

They decided that yes, they would do it. And that Placid would do it because she trusted Placid more.

And then, a day came.

They had just finished cracking a criminal, and they were both worn out. Placid was at his desk, filling out papers and a report for the commissioner.

_Come on, you fool._

_Ask her now!_

_But. . . This isn't the right time. . . _

**"Um, Lucy-"**

**"Eh?"**

**"Could you get me the data from the Reconstruction machine?"**

**"Sure Prof."**

The reconstruction machine was like a podium. And placed right next to the door. With many buttons, dials, and two places for paper. One held paper, while the other printed out all the stats for the machine. When turned on, and used, the office became the crime scene.

_Yes it is you blind fool! She's tired, she's depressed, and isn't it obvious?!_

_What is?_

_She drops hints! She smiles whenever she's with you! Look! She's doing it now!_

As Lucy handed him the paper, Placid glanced up at Lucy as she sat back down in her seat, and she gave him a slight smile.

_Ok, you're right about that._

**_You're still looking at her._**

**"Uh, Prof?"**

Placid returned a small smirk, as always, and Lucy watched him, and she felt unsettled.

**"What?"**

**"Oh, nothing. But- ah-"**

_Ask her now! You fool! Ask her now!_

**"Would You like to have dinner at my house, Lucy?" **

**"Are ya asking me to ea with ya?"**

**"Yes?"**

**"Like a Date?"**

**"Well, if you want to look at like that- I was thinking just to be nice."**

**"Oh. Well then I'd love ta, prof!"**

_I should give you a slow clap._

_Why?_

_Because you didn't screw up. Not completely._

**"How about you come to my house around six, we'll watch a movie, and order Pizza. Does that sound ok to you?"**

**"That sounds lots like a date, Prof."**

**"Well, I mean, I wouldn't call it a date- You just seem to be worn out, and a I thought it would be nice."**

**"What eve ya say."**

At 6:07, There was a knock at the door, and Prof got up from his couch, opening the door.

**"Afternoon." **He said, stepping aside and letting Lucy in.

She wasn't dressed any different then when she was at the office. She wasn't wearing her badge, and that was about it.

Placid, on the other hand, was without his coat, and without it, the Horizontal stripes and sticks for arms weren't doing him any favors.

**"You can pick the movie. They're laid out on the coffee table. And what type of pizza would you like?"**

**"Cheese."**

As Alfendi nodded and went to call the pizza place, Lucy went into the other room.

There was a wide range of genres and movies.

Ranging from old monster movies, to crimes, to romances.

And-

**"The League of Extraordinary Gentleman!"** She cheered out, as Placid entered the room.** "The pizza is on its way."**

**"Let's watch this one, Prof!"**

_Oh, I love that version of Hyde! He's so cold blooded, and the deleted scene where Nemo asks if Hyde has killed, and Jekyll replies-_

_I know I know!_

**"Hyde has done every evil a man can do. And my curse- I recall all his actions."**

**"Did you say somethin' Prof?"**

**"Oh- er, no."**

_Quiet._

_Make me, Sid._

Alfendi popped the disc in, and sat down next to Lucy, grabbing the remote.

The pizza arrived as Sawyer asked why they needed a Big Monkey, and Placid already heard a barrage of curse and threats at the pizza man coming from Potty.

Placid, keeping emotions under wraps, paid the pizza man and got out plates, taking then and the pizza into the living room.

With each of them taking a slice, they resumed the movie.

With the movie over, Al was quiet for a moment, while Lucy had a smile plastered on her face.

**"So who was yer favorite character, Prof?"**

_Hyde, and M!_

**"I'd say Quatermain."**

Lucy straightened up, like she hadn't been expecting his answer. **"Allen? Why?"**

**"Because of his character and background. Especially his skills and actions." Placid was silent, his gaze directing back at the TV, as the movie had returned to the main menu.**

**"What about you, Lucy?"**

Lucy's answer was quick, taking no hesitation or thought into her reply.

**"Jekyll."**

_Typical._

Placid's gaze directed back to her, and his hand went to his chin.

**"For what scenes?"**

**"Well- I'd say it was how Jekyll was introduced, with him appearing, from the start, with this scared and tormented look. Really shows how Hyde has ehffected him. An the scene were him and Hyde are arguing down the hallway, and especially when Hyde helps them. Showed that Hyde isn't totally bad."**

_Hyde is completely bad! The only reason he wasn't killing everyone was because of their abilities and that he would get Amnesty for helping! And- he wouldn't be able to kill 33% percent of league because Mina and Dorian were immortal!_

_There is no good in Hyde!_

They were both silent, almost like there was nothing to say.

Lucy's gaze directed down to a book on the bottom shelf of the coffee table, seeing it through the glass.

**"Hey Prof- is that the book?"**

Placid seemed to flinch at the mention of it, his gaze hardening and his eyebrows pulling together, forming a straight face, and a serious stare.

Nothing angered Alfendi as much as the sight of the bloody book. For the original, it was the fact that he had been changed and warped with a cheap, dirty, book. That a Pathetic Prof was made from the book. The side you believed was Hershel Layton's son.

For Placid, it was that he was made from a cheap, dirty, book. It made him feel like a lie. A fake. That he was nothing and only a piece of fabricated evidence.

Neither of them knew why they even kept it on the shelf, maybe as a reminder, maybe just because, maybe to force themselves to actually read it one day.

They had never opened the book.

They had never looked into Brainwashing.

There were two facts the Alfendi's had in common.

One, they shared the same body.

Two, neither of them wanted anything to do with Brainwashing. It left regret in Potty, and in Placid it formed a sickening feeling of: I am nothing. I am just a trick.

As a reminder. . .

For Potty, it reminded him of what he was like before Forbodium. He wasn't entirely a sadistic and crime-loving detective. He was once a mix of the two. He was a calm guy, and when he was with a criminal who wouldn't crack, he became more angered.

He was basically a normal guy.

But he had lost his girlfriend, his life, himself, he lost everything at Forbodium.

Anyone would be pissed off and be. . . Different.

**"Eh Prof, why do ya keep it anyway?"**

As Alfendi was keeping himself calm, and his other side was quiet.

**"We honestly don't know Lucy."**

His assistant turned, staring at him with a look of concern and nearly wide-eyed.

**"What?"**

**"You said 'We'. I've known ya for a year and you've Neva said 'We'."**

Placid put his hand on his chin, thinking.

_Did I?_

_Yes, you did. And now she knows we use terms such as 'We,' when she's not around. And she might think we're crazy are something._

_We are not crazy._

_We are unstable._

_You're the tumor in here, Sid. And I judge plenty._

_Am not. You're the one she's afraid of. She likes the 'tumor.'_

_Oh you did not!_

_Did._

**"It seems I did, Lucy, my apologizes- er-."**

Placid's hand moved to his face, his hair covering his eyes.

**"You- you can have the book, if you want it, Lucy. Urm- do you think you could go? I don't mean to sound rude."**

Lucy nodded, understanding that Potty was going to appear, and, as much as she was fine with the both of them, Potty did scare her sometimes.

She was so frightened by the original Al sometimes. So rash and reckless, so rude and rage. She wondered- Would there be a day when Potty snapped? When he actually followed through with a threat? When he wasn't going to be the one standing over the body, but the one who put it there?

Picking up the book with her dainty hands, and stepping out of the Prof's room, she turned, already seeing his hair start to shift.

**"So I'll see you tomorrow, ye?"**

**"Yeah, sure. Lock the door when you leave."**

**"But Prof, I don't have a k-"**

And on cue, Alfendi stumbled, grabbing a spare out of a hidden jar, and tossing it at her.

**"Now you do. Now leave."**

When Lucy arrived home and set her stuff down, she took the book, and plopped down on her couch.

_Introduction:_

_This book is a guide on brainwashing._

_Not all brainwashing works. Nor, in the best conditions for so, it is never permanent-_

She shut the book.


End file.
